Sewage backs up into six Syracuse residences from separation project

Syracuse, NY – A combination of storm water and sewage backed up Saturday into the basements of six buildings south of South Avenue and West Castle Street, the result of a nearby construction project intended to keep sewage out of Onondaga Creek.

Project officials today continue to investigate what happened to cause the mess, said Bob Kukenberger of CDM/C&S Joint Venture, the project manager for the construction job.

While they do, a firm hired by general contractor J.J. Lane Construction is working with affected homeowners to clean up the mess. No one is sure what the cleanup cost will be and who will be responsible for paying it, but homeowners and residents will be made whole and will not have to pay, Kukenberger said.

J.J. Lane is installing a new sewer pipe and underground capture system for Onondaga County as part of the “Save the Rain” program. The project is designed to keep sewage from flowing into Onondaga Creek when heavy rain floods the neighborhood’s combined sewer-storm water system. Work began in April and is scheduled to conclude Nov. 30.

Recently, workers drove mammoth interlocking strips of steel sheeting up to 60 feet into the ground to shore up soil and keep ground water out of the works, Kukenberger said. Officials aren’t sure how, he said, but the sheeting apparently damaged a 44-inch trunk sewer.

The sheets were driven during a streak of dry weather that began Memorial Day. Officials didn’t know there was a problem until it rained on Saturday, he said. The first call, from former county Legislator Clarence Dunham, came about 5 p.m.

Ron Maples, landlord of a 10-unit apartment building at 806 South Ave., said his two basement apartments were affected by the backup. The tenant in one was able to sop up the mess as it came in, but the other was not, he said.

The carpet from that apartment sat rolled up at the curb this morning. Maples said the tenant was being put up in a motel while a salvage firm dried out her belongings.

Across the street, Arthur Williams said the gunk that backed up into his basement at 805 South Ave. got 8 to 10 inches deep. It damaged his hot water heater, he said.

Kukenberger said workers reestablished the sewer flow by 11 p.m. Saturday. J.J. Lane brought in a cleanup specialist, Syracuse Fire and Water Inc., to help out neighbors affected by the mess. They started working on Sunday and continued today.

“They are doing a good job,” Maples said. “They’re handling the situation and there’s no problems.”

Williams said he was told his tank would be replaced.

The key is to begin cleanup quickly, before mold and germs get a chance to grow, Kukenberger said. Officials are cleaning up first and leaving until later the task of toting up the cost of repairs and figuring out who will pay for them, he said.